Drawing of a stick figure

((:figura hominis))


Description of Drawing (English): figure of person
Findspot: Smyrna, Basilica (Agora.1)
Drawing Category: Human figures
Writing Style: charcoal
  • Graffito Height: 35
  • Graffito Length: 17
Bibliography: Bagnall, R. S. et al., Graffiti from the Basilica in the Agora of Smyrna (2016): 305.
Commentary: Dipinto of a “stick figure,” located in the lower right quadrant of the back wall of Bay 29. The figure is depicted as fully frontal. Three Greek letters (Koe, see text T29.2) to the right of the head suggests that the figure, clearly drawn by an unskilled hand, is probably a stylized portrait of an individual carrying that Greek name or designation (which is, however, not securely identifiable). The head is a large oval sitting on a disproportionately elongated neck. There is no indication of a hairdo, and the facial features are limited to two round eyes, a few short lines for the eyelashes, and a long Roman nose. The arms and the legs are in the shape of inverted triangles and there is no clear indication of hands or feet, apart from a very abraded left hand. The figure is dressed in a short tunica with a long diagonal line running on the front.
Suggested Citation: AGP-SMYD00294, The Ancient Graffiti Project, <http://ancientgraffiti.org/Graffiti/graffito/AGP-SMYD00294> [accessed: 18 Apr 2024]
Contributions:

Editor: Roger S. Bagnall

Principal Contributor: Roger S. Bagnall

Last Revision: 2016-10-03